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tibia lump

cshamber

Posts: 1
Joined: Feb 2005

Nov 18, 2005 - 10:49 pm

Hi, I was just wondering if an mri can miss something? I have had a lump on my tibia for 3 years. Over time it has gotten slightly larger(about the size of a large grape). It now causes my entire lower leg to ache.(mostly at night) It is not extremely painful, just more like a toothache. My dr sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who x-ray'd it. Neg. Then I was sent for an mri, also neg. He said it showed nothing yet this lump is "very" visible. He said it must be some sort of swelling dx'd it as a shin splint...which I think is hysterical! and didn't even want to follow up. I am just trying to figure out what this could be without it showing on anything. I thought even swelling would show on an mri?? Anyone have any clues? I guess I am kinda scared they are missing something.

I got done with treatment for bone cancer in May. When I got diagnosed they found it with an MRI. I am not sure if an MRI can miss it but I do know that you could probably get a bone scan. I get them occasionly to make sure I am still in remission. Another option is getting a PET scan it shows any cancer cells in the body. Ask if you could have either of those if you are concerned.

HI, CSHAMBER, WHEN I WAS HAVING LEG BONE ACHES MY SPORTS MEDICINE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON DID A X RAY. HE THEN SENT ME TO HAVE A MRI, THIS DID SHOW SOMETHING BUT NOT DEFINATE WHAT IT WAS. HE THEN HAD ME HAVE A CT SCAN AND A NUCLEAR BONE SCAN. THE CT SCAN SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT MORE DETAIL ON MY SITUATION THAN THE MRI ALONE. HE THEN SENT ME TO A ORTHOPEDIC ONCOLOGIST, WHO DEALS WITH ALL KINDS OF TUMORS. MY ORIGINAL ORTHO. EXPLAINED THAT HE DOES NOT SPECIALIZE IN THIS, THE SAME AS THE ORTHO ONCOLOGIST DOES NOT SPECIALIZE IN SPORTS MEDICINE INJURIES. I AM SUGGESTING THAT YOU CALL YOUR ORIGINAL ORTHO, GET A COPY OF YOUR MRI AND YOUR RADIOLOGISTS REPORT AND CONTACT A ORTHO TUMOR SPECIALIST. IT HAS TAKEN ME MONTHS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME BUT YOUR KNOW WHEN YOUR OWN BODY HAS SOMETHING GOING WRONG. GO WITH YOUR GUT INSTINCT.

Hi
I also found a lump on my left tibia went to several doctors who ordered xrays and mri and lab work still nthing the pain specialy at night was getting worse and worse finially they sent me to a specialist who thought it was an bone infection and did a biopsy as soon as he opened it up saw it was a tumor, two days later got word that it was malignant and an osteosarcoma very rare for a female at my age, in 3 days I will undergo tests to see if it has metasized to other areas, So Yes the tests can be wrong and if wait to long it can metasize which lowers your chance of survival, I urge you to get another doctor ask for a biopsy that is the only way to truly know for sure. Good luck and please let me know how you are.

Your story is almost exactly the same as mine. 25 years ago, at the age of 12 I felt pain at the bottom of my foot after playing sports. This continued to get worst but I would ignore it. As it got worst, I started to get swelling just below the knee. I went to several Dr.s and had xrays done. They all said that it's nothing. This continued to get worst with more swelling. I went to more Dr.s and had an MRI done. They concluded that it was an infection of the bone and must undergo surgery. Once they opened it up in surgery they found out that it's Ewing Sarcoma on the left tibia below the knee. As I noted, when I had pain, it would project itself to the bottom of the foot, far from the actual place of the tumor. So it felt like there is a problem at my foot.

Anyways, I underwent radiation and Chemo. The tumor has been in remission for the past 23 years. But the treatment side affects left my leg with severe atrophy and deformity which lasts to this day.

To make a long story short, keep trying different Drs in case it's a wrong diagnosis. Hopefully they are right and it is nothing. In my experience, most regular Drs and specialists that you meet will not know much about cancer!

I am concerned after reading everything online. I went looking for some answers as to what this lump I found on my shin may be. It doesn't necessarily hurt unless I poke at it too much. It is about the size of my thumb nail. Is it as serious as it seems that I should get it checked out? I have RA and am used to dealing with achy pain so any that I have had I may have used that as the excuse. Are there other ideas of what it can be?

I hope you checked out your lump on your shin. My daughter had just slight pain on her shin. It too was a small lump. I insisted on an xray which showed just what looked like a slight fracture. When I talked to my pediatrician, I insisted we needed an MRI. After the MRI, it was clear there was a tumor on her shin. Only the bone biopsy confirmed she had cancer. Fortunately, it was caught before it spread to other organs. Go with your gut.....

Well I have a lump on my hip. Several in my leg and most likely one on my pelvis and one near my right testicle. They wont diagnose me with cancer either and they all are getting bigger and spreading. So I guess I will see if next month if they will find something. Maybe in a week if I make my appointment next week. So hope fully I wont end up like you but probably only worse.

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